Moccasin Bend National Archeological District is a river peninsula directly across the Tennessee River from downtown Chattanooga. It holds about 12,000 years of American Indian history and a short original segment of the Brown’s Ferry Federal Road, which the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail follows across the bend. This guide covers the history, the 1.2-mile road trace hike, the other access points, and how to visit with care.
This is an independent guide. It is not published by the National Park Service, the Friends of Moccasin Bend, or any Cherokee tribal nation (the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Cherokee Nation, or the United Keetoowah Band). Facts below were checked on the official pages listed under Sources on October 12, 2026.
Moccasin Bend at a glance
Short version: this is an outdoor archeological district with walking trails and no visitor facilities. Bring what you need and plan for a quiet, self-guided visit.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Managed as | A unit of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park (since 2003) |
| Size | 768 acres |
| Address used by NPS for ranger programs | 707 Moccasin Bend Road, Chattanooga, TN 37405 |
| Brown’s Ferry trace hours | 6 a.m. to sunset |
| Phone | 706-866-9241 or 423-821-7786 |
| Facilities | No picnic areas, restrooms or other visitor services |
Size and unit status come from the NPS Moccasin Bend place page. Hours and phone numbers come from the NPS Brown’s Ferry Federal Road page. The address and the note about facilities come from the NPS “10,000 Years of History” field trip page.
12,000 years on one river bend
The Tennessee River loops tightly here, and that loop has drawn people for a very long time. According to the National Park Service, the district’s sites chronicle about 12,000 years of American Indian occupation.
Most of that record falls into three broad periods: Archaic, Woodland and Mississippian. You won’t see reconstructed villages on the ground. What you get is the land itself, and the knowledge that people lived, farmed and buried their dead here for thousands of years.
Archaic, Woodland and Mississippian villages
The NPS history page for the district says about twenty Woodland-period village sites have been uncovered on the bend. That density is part of why the peninsula is protected as an archeological district rather than a regular park.
Hampton Place and possible Spanish contact
One village on the bend, known as Hampton Place, may have met Spanish expeditions. NPS says Spaniards under de Soto (1540) or de Luna (1560) possibly made contact there.
That word matters. The evidence points to a possibility, not a settled fact, and we’re keeping the park’s wording.
Moccasin Bend and the Trail of Tears
This part of the story deserves a slower pace. In 1838 and 1839, the bend sat beside one of the routes used to force Cherokee people out of their homeland.
Ross’s Landing, the removal camp near Chattanooga
According to the National Park Service, Cherokees were held in deportation camps in 1838–39, and one of them was at Ross’s Landing near Chattanooga. From there, people were sent west by water and by land.
By water around the bend, on foot across its neck
NPS says several groups traveled by water around Moccasin Bend. At least one group marched overland across the neck of the peninsula.
The NPS place page notes that the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail follows the route of the Brown’s Ferry Road across the bend. When you walk the trace, you are on that line.
A road with more than one painful history
The same road carried other forced journeys. NPS states that in the 1830s through the 1850s, the Brown’s Ferry Federal Road was an active route of the antebellum slave trade.
Later, in 1863, Union artillery entrenched on the bend, and the peninsula became part of the Union supply line known as the Cracker Line. Several layers of history sit on the same short stretch of ground.
Hike the Brown’s Ferry Federal Road Trace (1.2 miles round trip)
This is the walk most visitors come for. The NPS trace page describes it as a 1.2-mile round-trip hike with interpretive wayside exhibits.
Directions and parking
- Take Highway 27 to Manufacturers Road.
- Turn left on Hamm Road.
- Turn right on Moccasin Bend Road.
- After 2.6 miles, park on the left where Riverside Avenue meets Moccasin Bend Road.
These directions are from NPS. Check the page before you leave in case anything has changed, and look for current park alerts.
Trail rules
- Foot traffic only: no bikes and no horses.
- Leashed pets are welcome.
- Stay on the path; this is an archeological district.
What the wayside exhibits cover
The exhibits along the trace help you connect the road to what happened on it. Expect the 1838 removal and the 1863 Cracker Line to be the two big threads.
Give yourself time to read each one. The walk is short, so there is no reason to rush the part that matters most.
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Because there are no services on the bend, carry your own water. An insulated water bottle is the one thing we’d never leave in the car here.
Other ways in: Blue Blazes Trail and the Gateway Site
The NPS district page lists three visitor access areas: the Gateway Site, the Brown’s Ferry Federal Road and the Blue Blazes Trail. If you have extra time, the other two round out the visit.
Blue Blazes Trail
According to the NPS Blue Blazes Trail page, it is a 2-mile loop through forest and swamps at the south end of the bend. About halfway around, there’s an overlook of the Tennessee River.
The two NPS pages don’t agree on which way to turn on Moccasin Bend Road to reach this trailhead. Rather than guess, we suggest reading the Blue Blazes page directly before you drive.
The Gateway Site on Hamm Road
NPS describes the Gateway Site as a meadow on Hamm Road. It works as a simple first stop to get your bearings.
If you plan to link several trailheads in one day, a Chattanooga-area hiking guide helps you see how they fit together.
Before you go
The NPS field trip page is clear: there are no picnic areas, restrooms or other visitor services at Moccasin Bend. Plan accordingly.
- Use the restroom before you arrive.
- Bring water and snacks, and pack out everything you bring in.
- Check current NPS alerts for closures.
- Arrive with daylight to spare; the trace closes at sunset.
Visiting respectfully
Moccasin Bend is an archeological district, and everything on the ground is part of the record. Don’t dig, collect or move artifacts, stones or anything else you find.
Stay on marked paths. On the trace, remember that it is a removal route, and some visitors come to grieve or remember. A quiet pace fits the place.
We don’t speak for any Cherokee nation, and there is no tribal programming at this site that we can point you to. For the official story, rely on the NPS pages linked here.
Build a Chattanooga Trail of Tears day
Moccasin Bend pairs well with other sites in and around Chattanooga. NPS keeps a full list on its Trail of Tears certified sites page.
Brainerd Mission Cemetery and Audubon Acres
On the east side of the city, two certified sites tell the mission and removal story from a different angle. Our Brainerd Mission Cemetery and Audubon Acres guide covers both.
Blythe Ferry and Red Clay
Northeast of Chattanooga, our Blythe Ferry guide and our Red Clay State Historic Park guide cover two more Tennessee stops on the same history. Together with Moccasin Bend, they make a full, thoughtful day.
For deeper reading after the hike, look for a history of Cherokee removal by an established historian or a Cherokee author.
Nearby towns for your base
Downtown Chattanooga sits just across the river and is the easiest base. The Lookout Mountain area and East Brainerd are also close, and Cleveland, Tennessee, lies to the northeast.
We haven’t listed drive times. Check a current map on the day.
FAQ
Is Moccasin Bend free to visit?
The NPS pages we checked don’t list a fee for the trails. For anything current, check the NPS Moccasin Bend page.
Are there restrooms?
No. NPS says there are no picnic areas, restrooms or other visitor services at Moccasin Bend.
Can I bring my dog?
On the Brown’s Ferry trace, leashed pets are welcome, per NPS.
How long is the hike?
The Brown’s Ferry Federal Road trace is 1.2 miles round trip. The Blue Blazes Trail is a 2-mile loop.
Is this the same as Lookout Mountain or Point Park?
No. Moccasin Bend is its own peninsula across the river from downtown Chattanooga.
Sources
- National Park Service: Moccasin Bend National Archeological District
- National Park Service: Moccasin Bend
- National Park Service: Brown’s Ferry Federal Road Trace
- National Park Service: Blue Blazes Trail
- National Park Service: 10,000 Years of History field trip
- National Park Service: Trail of Tears NHT Certified Sites